Now hear this!

Posted on Saturday, February 12th, 2011 at 7:05 pm

Our clients are always searching for creative ways to be topical if for no other reason that it enables their cause (if not their charity) to be part of the conversation. How fortunate then that The King’s Speech – a film which, at an elementary level, is about a man who stutters – should make its way into theatres and even better that The Speech & Stuttering Institute be able to capitalize on the opportunity with a special fundraiser and premier showing of this incredible film. Having seen the movie we can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s a remarkably sensitive and inspiring film, one which is certain to win a number of major awards. After you see it please consider the great work of The Speech & Stuttering Institute and make a donation!

What follows is the cover story from The Speech & Stuttering Institute’s winter newsletter which is edited by Shelley Sonshine and designed by WISHART.

Speaking Up For A Silent Cause!

Most people take for granted the ability to communicate. Yet one in ten children are affected by speech and/or language challenges, and stuttering affects more than 300,000 people in Canada. The social stigma attached to these disorders makes it challenging for those who are impacted to speak up for themselves.

With the highly anticipated Alliance Films release of The King’s Speech in Toronto on December 10th The Speech and Stuttering Institute is thrilled that a film is using historical information to help educate about this too often silent cause.

The film won the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival People’s Choice Award and stars Colin Firth as King George VI and Geoffrey Rush as speech therapist Lionel Logue. The movie has already generated early Oscar® buzz and will hopefully go far in casting a long-overdue light on an issue that affects millions of people around the world. The film documents King George’s struggle with stuttering.

“This incredible film sheds light on an important cause that too often gets ignored or misrepresented,” said Dr. Robert Kroll, Executive Director of The Speech & Stuttering Institute. “Too often in movies and on television, individuals who stutter are portrayed in a negative or disrespectful light. We are hopeful that this portrayal will bring a sense of understanding to this very common and very significant challenge.” Self-esteem, quality of life and social and even professional pursuits can be compromised for people who stutter. When you cannot communicate your ideas or feelings to others it leads to self-consciousness or fear and can even cause children to act out of embarrassment or discouragement. The Speech and Stuttering Institute ( www.speechandstuttering.com ) works to give voice to individuals who have speech-related challenges by providing a variety of programs and by offering support to individuals and their families throughout the country.